Combined step, extension, and hanging ladder.



N. J. HATTENBAOK & A. H; HANDY.

COMBINED STEP, EXTENSION, AND HANGING LADDER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 7, 1911. 1,050,273.

Patented Jan. 14, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N. J. HATTENBAGK & A. H, HANDY. COMBINED STEP, EXTENSION, AND HANGING LADDER.

APPLIOATION FILED Q0157, 1911. I 1,050,273 Patented Jan. 14,1913.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Qvd/twe no m gx/mm/ UNITED STATE raa nnr onnron.

NATHAN J. HATTENBACK AND ARTHUR H. HANDY, OF DENVER, COLORADO; SAID HANDY ASSIGNOR TO SAID HATTENBACK.

COMBINED STEP, EXTENSION, AND HANGING LADDEB.,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, NATHAN J. HA'rrnN- BACK and ARTHUR H. HANDY, citizens of the United States, residing in the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful 1m provem'ents iii U-ombined Step, Extension, and Hanging Ladders; andwe do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it- 'a'ppertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a partof this specification.

Uu'r invention relates to improvements in ladders, generally speaking, but more specifically considered, our improvement embodies a construction which is adapted for "use, either as a ladder consisting of a single member, or a step-ladder composed of jt-Wo members arranged to brace each other, but detachably connected at theto'p, the two members being equipped, whereby, when detached, they are extensible to form a ladder {of greater height than the step-ladder. Furthermore, one member of the structure, when detached from the other member, is equipped at the top with a hook-shaped bracket adapted to be connected with a window-sill, or other structure, whereby the ladder member may be suspended, making it practicable to use the same as a fireescape. Assuming that the ladder has a length equal to one story of a building, a

person may escape from the building one story at a time. After having descended the length of the ladder to the window next below, he may detach the ladder from the window-sill above, attach it to the sill of the lower window of another story, and so on until he reaches the ground.

Having briefly outlined o'ur improved construction, we will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof. In this drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of our im- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 7, 1911.

Patented Jan. 14, 1913. Serial No. 653,394.

proved construction, the step-ladder form of construction being shown in collapsed form.- Fig. 2 is a side elevation, illustrating the step-ladder construct-ion arranged for use, the two members being adjusted to braceeach other, assuming the general form of stepdadder Fig. 3 is a fragmentary de tail view of one of the ladder members when: detached from the other and used as anordinary leaning ladder. Fig. 11 is aside elevation, partly in section, showing our improved construction as an extension lad der, two members being detached at the top and one of the members prcjected above the other. Fig. 5 is a sideelevation, showting one of the ladder members employed as "a hanging or suspension ladder. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the construction adjusted for use a step-ladder, the same as in Fig. 2. This view,- however, is taken at right angles to the view in Fig. 2, looking in the direction indicated by arrow 6, Fig. 2.

p The same reference charactersindicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numerals 5 and 6, respectively, designate the two members of our improved ladder construction. The member 5 consists of two bars 7, each of which is equipped at the top by metal brackets 8, each bracket having a recess 9 open at the top, as shown at 10, the rear upper partof the plate being curved forwardly and down- 'wardly, as shown at 12, to form a recess 0r socket 13 adapted to receive the protrudlng extremity 14 of the top rung 15 of the ladder member 6.

By virtue of this construction, the bars 16 between the two bracket plates 8 of the bars 7, composing the member 5. In connecting the two ladder members, the rung 15 of the member 6 is first passed between the plates 8, where they protrude from the bars 7, until the protruding extremities 14. of the rung 15 occupy a position above the openings 10 of the recesses 9. The protruding extremities 14 are then moved downwardly into the recesses 9 and upwardly into the sockets 13 in which the parts 1e are adapted to turn whereby the two ladder members of the ladder member 6 are arranged to passmay be separz'ited at the bottom to terror a stop-ladder. in o ler to limit the movemen t oi the ladder members or prevent them from spree d1 apart too l a to the bars oi the member are pivota I connected, as shown at 117, rods 18, whose opposite e: 'tremiti s are hook-shaped, as shown at 19, to connect with one cit the ru s 20 oi the la der member 6 below the top run the prts'ier adjustment oi": the lOCsS 18, the two ladder members may be allowed to swing away from each other to a greater or lesser extent, as may be desired.

The bracket plates 8 are each pro ided with a projection 21, whose rear edge 22 bounds the recess 9 in front, the outer est-- tremity ot the part 21 being); formed into a hook 23. having a relatively sharp point 24 adapted to indent a wooden member it, as a 'wirulowsill, or other suitable structure adapted to form a support for the ladder member 53, when used as a suspeir sion or hanging: ladder, as illustrated in Fig. 5. Even though the window-sill, or other ledge to which it is desired to attach the ladder member, is made of stone, the hooks support tor the member and permit its use in mak. descent from a building on the outside, one story at a time, as heretot'ore explained. I

To the parts "21 of the bracket plates 8,

lust above the points 24 of the hooks, a

plate 25 is pivoted, the said plate being idapted to assume an approximately horizontal pos' see l 1g. 2,--thus form ng a support, whereby a person may stand securely on top of the struetiu'e, when in stepdadder form, or

this plate may be used to support a re ccptacle of any kind, as a paint-bueket, when the ladder is made use of by a person while painting. This feature will be found convenient for many reasons, which it will not be necessary to further explain in detail.

The bars 7 of the member or? the ladder are equipped with forwardly-protrudinn hooks 26 attached to the upper portions of the bars 7 and adapted to receive any two rungs of the member 6, whereby the ladder may be extended above the member forming an extension ladder, as illustrated in Fig. 4. In this event, the platform plate is swung to the depending position, since its use is not required, and it cannot maintain the position illustrated in Fig. 9 because of the projecting position oi? the member 6.

The books 26 of the member 5 are secured to the bars 7 of the said member by of fastening devices 27 passed through cars 28 formed on the rear e5:- tremities of the hooks, the said hooks having parts 29 resting upon the slats 30 of will nevertheless -form a proper ion on to 3 ot the ste n-ladderthe member 5, the said slats constituting the steps of this member and corresponding ith the rungs 20 of the other member. 161} the ladder structure is not in use, the two members may be collapsed or caused to ume a position of: small compass, where- H they are brought close together and held in such relation by the engagement of the two rungs 20 of the member 6 with the hooks 2-6 oi the member 7. In this event, the rods 18 are extended above their pivotal extremities, and their books are connected with pins 31 applied to the outer surfaces of the bars '7. 'lhese pins may be in the term of screws inserted in the bars, or they may be of any other suitable construction. Screws or other headed devices will be preferable, since they will prevent the books from slipping oil the pins by a lateral thrust.

From the foregoing description, the use oi": our improved ladder will be readily understood and need not be further explained in detail. If it is desired to use the member (3 as an ordinary leaning ladder, it may be detached from the member 5, as will be readily understood.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is 1. A ladder construction composed of two detachable mem ers, one member having bracket plates at the top recessed to receive from above projections with which the other ladder member is equipped, the brackets of the first member having retaining sockets opening downwardly into the rear of the said recesses, for the purpose set forth.

:2. A ladder composed of two members pivotally connected at the top to permit them to swing toward and away from each other, one of the members having torwardly-projecting arms, and a plate pivotally connected with the said arms, the part of the plate in the rear of the pivot resting upon. a top runs; with which the other ladder member is provided.

3. A ladder construction composed of two members, one of the members having bracket plates secured to its upper extremity and projecting forwardly therefrom, the said plates having recesses open at the top, hooks on the rear portions of the said plates and extending over said recesses to constitute retaining sockets adapted to receive projections with which the upper part of the other ladder member is equipped, the for ward openings of the said recesses being constructed to allow the said projections to pass into and out of the recesses, as circumstances may require.

4t. A ladder construction composed of two members pivotally connected at the top, one of the ladder members being composed of separated bars, whose iipper extremities are In testimony whereof .we afiix our signaequipped with forwardly-projecting arms, tures 1n presence of two witnesses.

a plate pivotally connected with said arms NATHAN J. HATTENBACK. and adapted to swing rearwardly, one of the ARTHUR H. HANDY.

ladder members being equipped with a sup- Witnesses:

port for the said plate, substantially as de- A. J. OBRIEN,

scribed. ALBERT OBBIEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G. 

